‘Spring is Sprung’ and, as you can see, the daffodils are out in full force in West Sussex. The picture is of Gravetye Manor – a country hotel – with a garden originally designed by William Robinson in the 1880’s. The grass, with its daffodils, slopes down to the lake. [the picture doesn’t really do justice to the colour and vibrancy of the scene!]

Traditionally, Easter is a time for spring growth in parks and gardens. It is no different in our own lives: Easter is a time when perhaps we can feel re-energised after the winter of lockdown and can even dream of socialising with family and friends, time away and holidays. Whether we’ll actually be able to do all that is still a little unknown, albeit the aspiration is there.

For Christians, there is the added stimulus of new hope in the resurrected Jesus – a man who is strangely still alive in hearts and minds even today, some 2000 years later. He holds before each one of us the promise of a new and re-invigorated Easter life in our turmoiled world.

And for our Livery, let us all try to renew, and perhaps even rediscover, the bonds of fellowship and charity which is our calling, remembering that, as engineers, we are also called to solve all kinds of today’s problems with new insights.

A very Happy Easter to you all,

Reverend Peter Hartley, Hon. Chaplain